Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: roskav on November 16, 2007, 10:53:37 am

Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: roskav on November 16, 2007, 10:53:37 am
I was looking through my top shelf and in amongst the elephant's graveyard of equipment, SLR/n, Mamiya twin, old nikons etc, (light meters!) I took out my very nice Fuji GW690III and thought, wouldn't it be nice if I could clip my Aptus to the back of this thing.  It would take a very nice lens out of retirement and would be nice for a (bulky) rangefinder.  Has anyone ever heard of a mechanical genius who could graft a Hasselblad V connector plate to the back of something like this.  You would have to use a sync lead and it might be hard to position your eye at the rangefinder, but it might be worthwhile.  You would have a MFDB file from a handheld camera with no mirror vibrations and relatively quiet operation. Framing would be the major difficulty but I'm sure you could rig a mask... come to think of it you could also use a sliding back....

Ros
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: godtfred on November 16, 2007, 11:14:51 am
Quote
I was looking through my top shelf and in amongst the elephant's graveyard of equipment, SLR/n, Mamiya twin, old nikons etc, (light meters!) I took out my very nice Fuji GW690III and thought, wouldn't it be nice if I could clip my Aptus to the back of this thing.  It would take a very nice lens out of retirement and would be nice for a (bulky) rangefinder.  Has anyone ever heard of a mechanical genius who could graft a Hasselblad V connector plate to the back of something like this.  You would have to use a sync lead and it might be hard to position your eye at the rangefinder, but it might be worthwhile.  You would have a MFDB file from a handheld camera with no mirror vibrations and relatively quiet operation. Framing would be the major difficulty but I'm sure you could rig a mask... come to think of it you could also use a sliding back....

Ros
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a] (http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=153335\")
You could talk to SK Grimes about fabricating something, maybe they are up to the task?

[a href=\"http://www.skgrimes.com]http://www.skgrimes.com[/url]

-axel
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: roskav on November 16, 2007, 11:29:45 am
Great Axel thanks .. I'll drop them a mail.

Ros
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: Graham Mitchell on November 16, 2007, 12:08:46 pm
It's only a matter of money.
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: mahleu on November 16, 2007, 01:04:27 pm
You could try an elastic band mount to see if it works first.
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: Morgan_Moore on November 16, 2007, 01:17:12 pm
I dont know the aptus well

but to get infinity focus the chip needs to be well close to the shutter

I only imagine it is possible by removing some of the digital backs bits

This is easy with backs like sinar and imacon(?) but not so standard with backs that you need a factory mount change

and that is before you get the actual adapter made

S
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: tom_l on November 16, 2007, 01:29:44 pm
Wait a few years...I think there might really be a market for this kind of engine...

Think  about thoses Magnum style photographers/journalists still working with Mamiya 7 and similar cameras and other professionels working for the art market and doing huge prints.

My guess is that only a few of them did go digital. The ZD was a first step, I can really see a new mirrorless Mamiya/Phase camera (rangefinder or not) with a P30 /P21 chip, more intregrated than an Alpa or Cambo Mini.

tom-
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: Morgan_Moore on November 17, 2007, 12:56:20 am
Quote
Wait a few years...I think there might really be a market for this ..

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153370\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No need to wait there is a market now

S
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: roskav on November 17, 2007, 06:42:03 am
Quote
I dont know the aptus well

but to get infinity focus the chip needs to be well close to the shutter

I only imagine it is possible by removing some of the digital backs bits

This is easy with backs like sinar and imacon(?) but not so standard with backs that you need a factory mount change

and that is before you get the actual adapter made

S
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153368\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It's actually a copal shutter in the fuji ... the problem would be to clear an area around the rear housing enough to let the back be positioned near the film plane.  I checked the positioning of the back against the fuji last night and reckon that you could just about put your eye against the eyepiece with the db in place.  Hmm I know the Alpa might be handier to use .. but it would be great to have the rangefinder focusing capabilities of the Fuji.
Title: Adapting MF rangefinders to DBs
Post by: Morgan_Moore on November 17, 2007, 08:00:33 am
Quote
It's actually a copal shutter in the fuji ... the problem would be to clear an area around the rear housing enough to let the back be positioned near the film plane.  I checked the positioning of the back against the fuji last night and reckon that you could just about put your eye against the eyepiece with the db in place.  Hmm I know the Alpa might be handier to use .. but it would be great to have the rangefinder focusing capabilities of the Fuji.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153532\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I dont know the fuij

But you see what I mean about getting it close enough to the film plane (which in non leaf shutter cameras is close to the film plane)

THere isnt speace for an adapter for an 'adapted back'

Id love something like a mamiya seven digital

Or even a contax T2 digital (35FF)

S